Don't Paint Me Black When I'm Golden
by ColorfulExhaustion
Summary: It started out innocent enough, a touch here, catching eyes there. Gauging his reaction to every little thing. He would suck in a surprised breath at this; clench his fist in restraint at that. And it was absolutely thrilling.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"What did you say you needed again?"

"Do I have to need something to visit my _teammate?" _Naruto's laugh echoed from behind the open fridge door. His rummaging put a smile on Sakura's face as she sat at her kitchen table. He stood up, arms full of fruits and her favorite custard, before kicking the fridge closed and depositing his goods on the table. He plopped down in the seat across from her with a grin.

"Seems more like you just got home and didn't have any food in your fridge,'' she teased, plucking a jar of custard out of the pile and moving to grab a spoon.

"_That _could also be true" His grin was contagious, she couldn't help but smile back. "Did anything happen while I was gone?"

She hummed in thought, pulling the aluminum seal from her treat. "There was an outbreak of chicken pox at the academy," She laughed at his scrunched up face. "It was _horrible_, they took all my lollipops too."

"What a _tragedy_"

"I _know_ right?"

They snickered together.

She missed this. Him. He'd been gone for a whole two weeks this time. Off on a diplomatic mission to Rain with no word in between. It had felt empty without him here. Her kitchen felt like it was missing warmth without him lazing around in one of her chairs. She smiled around her spoon at the sight of him munching on an apple.

"Did the mission go smoothly?"

"Yep! Though I could've done without all the rain." He groaned at the thought of it. "If I see another rain cloud I think I'll just _die_. People tell you it rains constantly there but you don't really get what constantly means until you're on day 8 of no sun!" He popped another piece of apple in his mouth.

Sakura laughed softly. "Well it is called The village Hidden in the Rain for a reason."

Naruto huffed, "Yeah, yeah, I guess you're right. I'm just glad I had Hinata there or I really would've been bored out of my mind."

Sakura's smile froze at the mention of the Hyuuga Heiress. She had thought Naruto was on this mission alone to help build diplomatic skills for when he became the future Hokage. She didn't know he was paired off with Hinata. She could think of no reason why she would be on the mission in the first place.

"Oh? I didn't know Hinata went with you." Sakura innocently said.

Naruto smiled warmly and Sakura's heart ached. "Yeah I was supposed to head out there alone but truthfully I didn't really want to travel all that way by myself. I asked Baa-chan if I could make it a two man mission and take Hinata with me."

Sakura began to rip little pieces of the aluminum seal. "Seems a little random. Why didn't you ask me?"

She saw Naruto shift out of the corner of her eye. She turned her gaze to him only to have him quickly avert his eyes. "I just happened to pass her by in the Hokage tower after being assigned the mission." He began. "She was there on some head clan business so we chatted for a bit and I offered her to accompany me to get her out the Hyuuga compound for a bit. I thought of you, but I know you've been super busy at the Hospital and all so…."

She tried not to think of the two of them together. Alone. For two weeks. How he offered _Hinata_ a duo mission with him before her. She pushed down the sinking feeling in her gut as she looked up at his nervous eyes.

"I'm glad you weren't alone then."

He seemed to deflate at her answer. "You know you're always my first pick right, Sakura-chan?"

She gave him a long look before leaning forward to place her hand on his knee.

"I know, and just for the record, I missed you."

She made sure not to show the hurt on her face when he moved his knee away.

"Yeah, I missed you too."

* * *

Who even am I? Updating twice in less the a month? Wild. I crave a good narusaku. I need it. so i'll write it myself, my drive for this is so high rn so ill be popping this out pretty fast.

Hopefully.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The door clicked shut and Sakura's hand lingered on the wood, just like it did moments ago on Naruto. They had hugged goodbye in her doorway and if Naruto noticed her hand laying on his arm longer than needed, he didn't comment. He just smiled and reassured he'd visit again soon, leaving after giving a small wave.

It didn't bother her, really it didn't.

And that was what she told herself as she picked up the trash on the table. What she repeated while she did the dishes, showered, and dressed. They weren't together, she shouldn't worry on who he spent time with while she was busy or when he was lonely. _He'd end up still reaching for her at the end of the day_.

She paused in throwing her comforter over her bed. What the hell was that? Shaking her head she finished making the bed before sitting on the edge. With nothing else to distract her thoughts her hands became twitchy and she felt like she was drowning in too many emotions.

She just needed to feel wanted, it wasn't any deeper than that.

That was the reason since the beginning, all those months ago. When _Sasuke_ had left to find himself and she had reached out to her blonde teammate for a pillar of security as the back of their troubled friend had disappeared outside the village. Her fingertips brushed the back of Naruto's hand, looking for reassurance that he was still _there_. That he still wanted _her_ there. But the feeling she got when he gripped her fingers, staring down in a kind of intensity that he only gave to _her._ It had made her cheeks flush and mouth go dry.

And had left her wanting _more._

A noise outside pulled her away from her thoughts, she turned at the sound of insistent wings, pausing at the sight outside here window. She scowled at the hawk on the other side of the glass as she unhooked the latch. It landed with a squawk, ruffling its feathers as she unhooked the small scroll from the holster on its chest. Without even looking at it she opened a drawer in her nightstand and tossed it in, slamming it shut immediately.

"You can go now, you know." It squawked again before taking flight. She stared at the spot the bird had occupied for far too long before snapping the window shut.'

Getting out was a healthy activity, as a doctor she recommended it constantly to her patients that had been staring at the same hospital wall for too many days. She recommended a brief outing into the small surrounding garden usually. It was healthy to get a change of scenery, if only for a little while.

Conversation was good too. Which is why she left with the intent of visiting Ino after a long period of silence between them. It was because of mutually busy schedules, both of them were unable to make time for each other. Well, mostly Sakura, she was always busy. Too busy to answer calls, too busy to meet up.

It was her fault.

So she expected nothing less than a cold greeting when she walked into the flower shop.

"Oh, look who finally decided to visit." Ino was behind the counter, arranging a bouquet of bright red and yellow flowers. Ino not even turning to greet her was a bad sign.

"Shove it pig." Came Sakura's weak reply.

"I'm sorry what was your name again? I just can't seem to remember, you know, cuz it's been almost a _whole month"_

Sakura winced at that one.

"Yeah, sorry. Busy at the hospital and all…." She clammed up at Ino's sour look.

"You know, that excuse doesn't work when we _both_ work at the Hospital," Ino smacked her lips in irritation, placing flowers into her arrangement more aggressive than necessary. "PLUS, I also work at the shop and take missions! But, despite all of that, I _somehow _found time to try and drag you out of that tiny apartment for some fun, or, you know, to just _talk to me._" She hissed the last comment, tying a large white bow around the bundle of flowers before examining her work.

Sakura let out a defeated sigh. "I know, okay I'm _sorry_, I'm an absolute idiot and I don't deserve your AMAZING friendship," She leaned over the counter and gave her best puppy dog eyes. "Can you _ever_ forgive me?"

Ino stared down her nose at her, nails tapping against the wood as she deemed her fate. She waited another long beat of silence before rolling her eyes and shooting Sakura a small smile. "I wouldn't be the greatest best friend if I wasn't _merciful_. So I _guess _I forgive you, but if you ever ignore my calls again, I'm breaking down your front door." This was less of a threat and more of a promise, and Ino kept her promises. Sakura laughed anyways, leaning on her elbows to watch Ino wrap the flowers in some decorative papers.

The blonde shot her a quick look before breaking the silence again, "So what _were _you so busy with? You can't just disappear off the face of the earth for a month without a good reason." The underlying question felt heavy, and she fidgeted with the edge of her sleeve while thinking on it.

"I _was_ busy at the hospital, I swear. And I was going to visit, but then there were so many scrolls, and that hawk just kept coming back again and _again_ and I-" She cut herself off, afraid of saying much more, not wanting to open that box of confusing emotions again. Her friend's sympathetic stare said she already had though.

"Have you read any yet?" Ino's gentle prod made her feel too open and she hugged herself to ease the feeling away.

"I almost opened one last week, but I couldn't get past the seal before putting it away." Sakura reluctantly admitted. Ino gave a soft sigh before walking around her to one of the window's and pulling at the blinds. Sakura glanced outside, noting the setting sun, and guessed it was time to close.

"I think it might be good for you to read one at some point Sakura. You won't be able to get past this fear until you can find it in you to at least read his letters. You still want him in your life, right?" Sakura gave a hesitant nod. "Then it'd be better to try to sort through all this now while you both have space rather than later, where you might run into him and you know." Vague hand gesture. "Have some kind of breakdown." Her words were unhurried as she locked up, her casual tone keeping Sakura calmer than she usually was on this topic.

"I know, I _know._ I just… no one ever said it would be this hard, you know? After everything settled I thought I would be fine, thought _all _of us would be fine. But instead, everything feels like it blew up even bigger than when it happened. And I don't even know what I _feel_ anymore, plus Naruto-."

"What _about_ Naruto?" Ino interrupted. "You're not still stuck in that dumb flirty thing you're both doing, right?" She let out a noise of frustration at Sakura's silence. " Oh my _god_, you're both so _dense_. You like each other so why not just date already?" Her chastising tone made Sakura freeze up, immediately going on the defensive.

"I do _not_ like him." She snapped back, getting irritated. Ino rolled her eyes as she shrugged off her apron.

"Alright, but just, I don't know, don't string him on then? He's loved you for forever Forehead and if you don't like him back, then let him find someone else."

Sakura suddenly wanted to leave, her gut churning in an unpleasant way. They've had this conversation before, and it always left her feeling guilty. She didn't want to think of Naruto's feelings for her right now. Ino didn't wait for a response, instead she grabbed her medical skirt from under the counter, and clipped it on. She made her way towards the backroom behind the counter and Sakura followed.

"I'll never be able to understand how you deal with your team. You all have so many problems, but none of you want to talk about it. Shika and Cho feel like a blessing next to your guys." She laughed as they walked past the fridges that held flowers not placed out front. She seemed almost simultaneously entertained and annoyed by the topic, and Sakura gave her a weary look from behind, clearly wanting to not be the subject of their conversation any longer. They reached the back door, which Ino flung open, and Sakura hurried out letting Ino turn back to lock up the shop.

"I _talk_ to them… sometimes" Sakura puckered her lips as Ino snorted.

"Well, you better start talking more, cause you and Naruto seem to have gotten worse instead of better. You know he's hanging out more with Hinata right? Not that it matters, I guess." She turned and gave Sakura a hard stare. Sakura folded her arms defensively and looked away to avoid giving Ino the chance to see the hurt on her face. "Look Forehead, I'm not saying that you _do _have anything going on, but if there's even the slightest chance, you better start acting on it before he gets involved with anyone, okay?"

Ino gently placed her hand on Sakura's arm. The gesture so familiar and innocent that friends as close as they were, wouldn't think twice about it. But the feeling made her tense up, it brought back the morning's memory of Naruto pulling away from her touch and she really didn't want to linger on that thought anymore than she already had. She pushed down the urge to remove the hand.

"Anyways, I gotta head over to the hospital, back to back shifts never seem to get any more fun." Ino sighed, breezing over the tension that followed whenever she tried to help with the mess of team seven.

Sakura knew Ino was only ever trying to help. So, she forced a smile. "I get what you mean. Let's get dinner soon, okay Pig?"

Ino smiled back. "It's a date!"

* * *

Sakura waved off Ino at the hospital with a better mood in place once the subject of their conversation shifted away from Naruto. The sky had turned dark, the sun already below the horizon and the moon's glow illuminating everything. She inhaled the crisp air and decided to take advantage of the emptying streets before the night life woke up.

She continued down the street of the hospital towards Ichiraku, her mind wandering off to simpler times. Before the war, before the feelings, before promises of a lifetime. When all she had to worry about was if Sasuke liked girls with long hair. She touched the tip of her short locks in thought.

Sakura thought back to the growing pile of scrolls in her drawer. She hadn't meant for her lack of response to go on for so long. When the first scroll had arrived she had thumbed over the seal all night deciding whether to open it or not. It was only when she was called into an emergency surgery that she put it away with the promise of opening it once she returned. The next letter came and the same thought process continued.

_I'll read it later._

It was when the fifth letter came that Sakura knew she was just using it as an excuse.

The seventh letter was when she knew she was actively seeking out Naruto's reactions.

The rate at which the letters arrived at her home slowed down, but never stopped. Counting today's, Sasuke had sent her seventeen letters and each one brought more dread than the last. She could lie and say she didn't know what she was scared of. That maybe the trauma of pre-war encounters had left her scared of her ex-teammate so much so, that she hadn't even been able to look him in the eye since his return.

But it wouldn't be the truth.

She turned on the pathway to Ichiraku's, hearing the sound of laughter from behind the curtains. Purple and orange caught in the corner of her eye.

_Was that...?_

She turned her head just as a voice she recognized too well began to talk.

"Thanks again for coming with me to Rain, Hinata-chan! It would've been boring as hell without _you_ there."

And with that thought, she turned on her heels and dashed over to the nearest rooftop.

She tried not seeth about the sight of them together, fist clenching and unclenching repeatedly as she attempted to not knock her front door off its hinges.

Because it wasn't supposed to bother her.

Stomping over to her room, she pulled the drawer open, grabbing the latest scroll from the top of the pile before ripping it open. She wasn't being petty, and this most certainly wasn't because she was _jealous_. It's not like reading Sasuke's letter would bother Naruto, he wouldn't even _know_ she had finally opened one. This was just another one of those things.

Another part of this game they played.

She skimmed through the top, most of it about the area he was in and hoping that she was doing well. The rest filled with more adventures during his 'atonement', seeing as he had most likely given up on asking any questions since being met with no response. It showed Sasuke was painfully making an effort to stay on good terms with her and that made her feel a prick of foolishness at ignoring him for so long. Her anger fizzling out as she read though the bottom paragraph about the scenery, the last line giving her pause, a gasp slipping past her open lips as she stared down with a new mixture of emotions flashing over her face.

'_I'll be home in a week. I look forward to reuniting with team seven once again.'_

Fuck.

* * *

Why is this story so fun?

R&R


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

* * *

The source of her anger felt petty.

Thinking back to what Ino said, Sakura pondered on where her sense of jealousy and hurt stemmed from. Why was she frustrated at who he spent his time with? She knew Hinata already admitted her feelings to Naruto once, so why did she feel threatened by her if Naruto had shown no sign of reciprocating? Was it the possibility of him finally realizing how beautiful, kind, and devoted she was?

Sakura splashed water over her face, and repeated until she felt like the cold water was actually _doing _something. When did she become so so _so_-

_Jealous?_

She paused at the thought, shutting off the water and leaning forward on the sink. When did she start to _care _so much about what he did? It's not like they were _together_\- and… and even if they were, that wouldn't matter to her, right? She stared at her reflection before scrubbing her face with a towel and moving to her living room, throwing herself onto the couch.

This all started when _Sasuke _left. This mess between her and Naruto. She could still remember that day so very clearly.

She acutely remembered how _deep_ Sasuke's voice had sounded after she had talked to him the first time after the war. After years. And how he was looking at no one else other than _her. _It had made the child in her almost cry with joy to finally be acknowledged. The small part of her who still thought of him fondly, that had written his name in all her notebooks, that had loved him since the moment she had seen him sparring at her neighborhood park. Was he not the center of her world for years?

That part had gotten so small though, she hadn't even noticed when it had stopped growing with the rest of her.

Years passed and her heart hardened. Instead of feeling excited when he had finally spoken to her, she felt tired. She found excuses when he approached her more to talk or even worse, _apologize_. When he moved his hand in certain ways, she could almost hear the screeching of birds and sandals on water. She begged him in her mind to _leave_ because sometimes it was too much. It was exhausting, trying to heal from the war and simultaneously help heal someone else.

She ran a hand down her face at the thought. She didn't want to think about Sasuke. It was almost rare that she lingered on thoughts of him unless it involved receiving a letter. Her mind revolved more and more around Naruto_._

"Ughhh…" Whenever she tried to think about him, she felt stuck. His feelings for her always made her pause before she reached out. Before she did _anything _really. His warm smile always felt like an invitation to a road she wasn't sure if she was ready to take. Old feelings jumbled up with complicated new ones left her feeling unsure on how to move forward. But when she watched that smile flash at someone other than her or looked at his back when he spoke to girls who finally acknowledged the man he grew to be, she felt the crave for attention pull at her.

It was only then that she'd react with her feelings first. Not thinking about his own, but only the fact that she needed to remain the center of his attention.

And Sakura realized that was selfish of her.

She was willing to bypass his feelings for a sense of stability? To feel a love she would never reciprocate? _Are his feelings really one sided though?_ She had played with the thought before, but never delved into it further. Whenever the thought even grazed her mind, she was plagued with dreams of Sasuke. A part of her knew it was guilt that triggered these dreams. Even if any romantic feelings for Sasuke were gone, her mind that had so long sought after the Uchiha seemed to chastise her for even entertaining the idea of something serious with Naruto. It left her waking up and staring at her ceiling for hours, questioning if she was even worthy of love after turning a blind eye to someone she knew loved her, to love that man's best friend.

It didn't mean she couldn't change.

The thought of making it go past a game and for once _trying_. The notion left her mouth dry and chest warm. But she shied away from the idea and put the lid back on the feelings. If there was a time to work past all the fears, anxiety, and thoughts of unworthiness she didn't think it was now. She glanced at the clock in the room before hopping up from the couch to start getting ready for work. She made her way over to her bedroom to get a change of clothes while promising to forget all this after a hot shower.

* * *

Check the lungs.

Check the reflexes.

Any external damage?

Any internal damage?

Any signs of trauma?

"Alright Genma, I'm all done here." Sakura checked the last box on his chart, scribbling some side notes as the Jonin pulled his shirt back over his head.

Sakura was nearing the end of her shift at the hospital. It was an easy day, mostly routine check-ups on a few jonin squads returning from their missions and while she was able to push any thoughts of Naruto from her mind, the irony that he was on her list of patients today made her move a little more sluggishly through what should've been just 30 minute physicals. It would be just her luck that he waited days after his mission to finally make the mandatory appointment.

Genma placed his bandana on his head, securing the knot. "Thanks Sakura-chan, I appreciate these little meetings of ours." He winked making Sakura roll her eyes.

She busied herself by straightening papers in front of her but glanced at him out the corner of her eye. Genma placed the senbon between his lips and rolled it from one side of his mouth to the other. The Jonin was definitely a handsome man whose flirtatious comments were enough to bring a healthy blush to her face, but it never went beyond that. He laughed at her reaction before hopping off the examination table, she huffed at him.

"I'd appreciate them _more_ if you didn't always come back with broken ribs." Sakura scolded halfheartedly, turning to him after placing the examination papers in his file. She waved him off and Genma chuckled before leaving the room with a lazy wave.

Sakura listened to the door click shut before pulling out the next folder. The silence of the room settled over her heavily. On the wall above her, the clock clicked steadily, reminding her of the last appointment for the day. Dread filled her stomach like lead, but Sakura prided herself at being able to stay completely professional while working. Grabbing her clipboard, she made her way over to the next examination room, steeling herself before pushing open the door. She kept her eyes down on his chart as she strode over to the stool in the corner.

"Hey, Sakura-chan." He sounded like he was smiling. Hearing his chipper voice made her all the more aware of her sour mood, she frowned at the turning feelings in her gut.

"Hello, Naruto." She greeted in a clipped tone. "Are you aware of any injuries that you might've sustained during your previous mission that I should be aware of before starting?" Her voice was quick and to the point, completely professional. It sounded horrible to even her.

"Uh, no. It was only a diplomatic mission. And me and Hina—"

"Alright then, I'll begin your usual check-up now." Sakura glanced at him and almost felt guilty at the hurt look on his face. _Almost_.

"Ah, okay."

"I'll need you to remove your shirt." He silently complied, his shirt dropping onto the table next to him. She tried to avoid his eyes as she laid her hand against his back, the green glow signalling her chakra entering his body. She requested he breathe in and out slowly, and he did so without his usual questions. Everything felt tense. Awkward.

A silent sigh escaped her lips as she moved her hand to his chest, repeating the request. He complied again, letting the exhale dwindle out before gripping her hand in his. She froze in surprise, her eyes immediately meeting his.

"You're upset." He stated rather than asked.

_No shit._

"No, I'm not." She denied. They both knew she could break his hold, it wasn't even that tight, but that wasn't the point. The point was that he had grabbed her, which made her skin hot and heart pound.

"Yes, you _are._" He seemed to choose his next words with caution. "You're upset with _me_."

Naruto had never been the overly observant type, but Sakura should've known he's always been emotionally _aware_. He couldn't catch on to what the problem was, but he could feel it was _there._ And once he knew it was there he wouldn't leave it alone until it was gone. She didn't come into this thinking he'd actually confront her on it here though, or be persistent. They danced around each other so much these days she never knew what should be said or ignored by this point.

"What makes you think that?" She tried to act aloof, but his hard stare told her he was not in the mood to beat around the bush.

"You're acting cold towards me. I'm not dumb Sakura-chan, and we're not kids anymore." His admission made her swallow. It almost sounded like a reprimand. Suddenly feeling a little childish under his gaze, she pulled back but Naruto's grip tightened.

No, they definitely weren't kids anymore.

"I never said you were dumb, Naruto." Sakura slowly said, looking directly into his blue, blue eyes. Blue like the ocean, and swimming with emotions so clearly displayed for her. The intensity of them swallowing her whole. She lowered her gaze, once again pulling her arm from his grip and this time, Naruto let her. She took a step back, needing the physical space from him to stop herself from being drowned in his gaze.

"This is getting off topic, we need to finish your exam." Sakura said, turning to grab the file that she had placed on the counter behind her. The tips of her fingers barely brushed the edge of the folder before Naruto slapped his hand on top of it.

"Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" He sounded frustrated.

The heat radiating off of him in waves could be felt against her back. His chest brushed against her shoulder blades with every breath he took and it was beginning to become _too much._

"_Why?" _Sakura finally snapped, not turning to face him and instead glaring at the hand in front of her. "Why do you have to know everything that makes me upset? So you can fix it? You just said it yourself- _were not kids anymore._" She could feel her frustration with her own feelings bleeding into her jealousy over him. She took a steadying breath and hoped he would just drop it before she said something she wasn't supposed to.

She felt him shift away and she finally turned her head to slightly peak over her shoulder. Cold air rushed back around her without his steady supply of body heat at her back.

"You always told me not to shoulder everything on my own. To rely on you when I need help." Sakura closed her eyes, listening to his words and knowing where he was heading with it. "Why won't you let me do the same for you?"

She let out a frustrated sigh. "It's not so simple, Naruto." _All of my worries seem to revolve around you._ She pinched the bridge of her nose at the thought before finally turning and looking at him. He looked miserable, and the sight made her anger fizzle out slightly into a lump of guilt. Clearly, leaving him in the dark was hurting him and hurting Naruto was something she never wanted to do again. Even if she had to admit aloud what was turning her mood sour.

Sakura ran her hand through her hair, pushing her bangs back, before crossing her arms defensively. She knew she was going to cave and tell him before she even admitted it to herself.

"It's-it's dumb." Sakura grumbled, turning her face away from his searching gaze.

Naruto took a step forward, invading her space once again by placing his hands on her cheeks to bring her attention solely back to him. "I doubt it Sakura-chan, but I can't help fix it if you don't tell me what I did."

Now being forced to stare into his eyes, Sakura felt vulnerable. "Why didn't you come find me?" She asked in a small voice.

"What?"

"For the mission, why didn't you come find _me._"

"Sakura-chan, I… I didn't know you wanted to go- really, I only asked Hinata because, well…" Naruto paused. Sakura brought a hand to rest lightly on his wrist. Those ocean blue eyes reflected concern, confusion, _hurt. _"I just happened to bump into her." His reply left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"Then why not just bump into _me_?" She stressed. "Why just take anyone on a supposed solo mission? Why did you ask for a change for _her_?" Her frustration apparent, Naruto swiped his thumbs over her cheek bones in a soothing gesture. She blinked, surprised, but pressed on. "I'm your _teammate,_ so why not _me_?"

Naruto's thumb slowly swiped under her eye, pulling her back from her thoughts. Her cheeks burned under his touch, and the way his breath fanned out hot on her face was dizzying. Her heart hammered against her ribcage and she wondered if he could feel it. Feel everything she was hiding. Everything she wasn't ready to admit, even to herself. She felt exposed in front of his searching gaze and it made her palms sweat.

And she felt like she could just _die_ as his eyes flickered to her lips and back up before he seemed to gather himself enough to respond.

"Sakura I—," Her name without the honorific sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "...I just… I can't just…."

Can't just _what_? She wanted to shout, but couldn't find her voice. His gaze returned to her mouth and a part of her wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

"Come to dinner with me tonight." He blurted out. She blinked, taken aback by his request. The tension between them melted as she let out a confused laugh.

"What? _Dinner?_"

"Yes! With me!" Naruto exclaimed, suddenly letting go of her face and taking a step back. The heat of his hands lingering on her skin. "Clearly I made you upset, so let me take you out! I'll actually pay, I swear! And it doesn't even have to be ramen."

He motioned an X over his heart with his finger and felt the last bit of her bad mood melt away at the sight of his bright smile. She hated and loved that he could do that to her. She ran a hand through her hair and let out a laugh. "Okay, fine. That means I get to order dessert and we can continue this conversation then."

After Naruto agreed with an enthused nod, Sakura finished the checkup. They chatted about where to eat while he put on his shirt and jacket. The tension that hung heavy over them before was not as thick, but the questions left unanswered still swirled in Sakura's mind no matter how bright Naruto's grin was.

* * *

I'm sick and i wanted to write so i spit this out with my Beta. I have a whole week of work ahead of me with no days off. Ugh, big summer bummer, pray for me friends.

R&R


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sakura leaned back on the wooden bench that lined the front of the restaurant. It was nearing dusk and the last waning rays of the sun shone gently through the busy street. The first stars twinkled dimly overhead. One by one the restaurants lining the street lit their lamps, signaling the beginning of the night rush. Shinobi coming back late from missions or just work in general were most of the patrons that visited these shops.

More and more people started filling the street. The chatter was a pleasant hum, but it was unable to drown out her thoughts. She didn't want to think too much about the confrontation at the hospital, but it was hard considering it was the main thing making her nervous about this dinner. She had rushed home after work to take a quick shower and change into civilian clothes, before applying light makeup and heading out, all the while trying to calm her nerves.

She puffed out a breath into the chilly air. This dinner wasn't anything special. They had gone out multiple times before with just the two of them, however her stomach clenched in uneasy anticipation. She tried to not think about their earlier interaction and how she acted but the embarrassment kept coming back to the surface. She had gotten too angry for a reason he didn't even understand, and her lashing out without really explaining to him why she was upset seemed childish upon reflection.

He didn't deserve to get yelled at, especially when he didn't even understand and _especially_ for reasons Sakura herself wasn't ready to admit. While her anger made it easier to ignore _why _she might be jealous, it left her feeling guilty overall. It was practically the only thing on her mind once he left. _I'm as stubborn as shishou sometimes_. She'd apologize once he arrived. Although it would leave her questions unanswered, just knowing everything was okay between her and him felt more important. She'd leave all her confusing feelings behind tonight and just focus on Naruto. It was at this moment that someone stopped directly in front of her bench.

"Yo Sakura-chan! You look nice!" Naruto greeted, boisterous as ever. He had traded his orange pants for standard black ones, with the usual orange jumper in place but his headband was absent. His cheeks were tinted pink and his hair tousled from probably rushing through the chilly night air on rooftops. She looked over his appearance appreciatively, feeling her ears burn at how attractive he looked.

"Hey." She rose from the bench and felt an awkward air take over as they stood before each other. He looked the slightest bit tense and she felt guilty again. "Naruto listen-I'm sorry about what happened at the hospital, I didn't mean to get upset, let alone take it out on you. I've just been stressed out, I shouldn't have reacted like that."

He seemed taken aback by her apology, looking confused and lost. "Huh, why would you-?" He glanced around as if to look for what he wanted to say, and she worried he was still upset, before he looked back with a smile. "Ah, during the exam? Apology accepted, but know you can't take this back then and get mad later, right?" He said with a small laugh.

She laughed in return, finally feeling the tension ease away into something more familiar. "Oh I can't?"

"Nope, it's been accepted forever. No take backsies." He said gravely. She snickered and playfully shoved his arm, which earned her a dramatic gasp. "Sakura-chan! I thought you said you weren't upset? How could you break the code like this?"

"What can I say, I'm a rebel." She shrugged.

"More like a felon."

"Oh? Maybe we shouldn't hang out anymore then, it'll ruin your image as a future Hokage." She sniffed, taking a step back from him. The weight of his arm laid across her shoulders as he leaned on her with a laugh.

"Ya _ya_, I never said I didn't like a bit of excitement in my life."

"Oh my _god_, let's just get a table before there's a wait." She shrugged off her teammate's arm and took a purposeful step towards the restaurant's entrance. "I swear the criminal between the two of us is _you_. You can talk your way out of anything." She muttered. Naruto grinned, shoving his hands innocently in his pocket before offering her his elbow. Sakura looked at him with a raised eyebrow before slipping her arm through his.

"What can I say, it's my undeniable charm." Naruto winked. He held up two fingers to the hostess who nodded with a smile and motioned them to follow her.

'_You have no idea'_ Sakura thought with a roll of her eyes.

They were led to a cozy booth near the back. Sliding into the seats opposite of each other, the hostess laid out their menus before excusing herself.

Sakura slid into the seat with a sigh before stretching her feet out, her foot brushing his ankle. She paused, making herself look occupied with scanning the menu. She didn't see him glance up at her before pulling his legs together to trap her foot there. The corners of her mouth quirked up.

"I've been caught."

"So it seems." He hummed, flipping the menu over to observe the back options.

"I'm too pretty to be held captive." Sakura sighed, plucking chopsticks from the cup set to the side that held them.

"And yet here we are." She could see his grin over the menu.

"What are your conditions for release then?" She bit her lip to hide her smile, wiggling her toes against the back of his calf.

"Hmmmm." Naruto scrunched up his face, mulling over his options. Sakura picked up the menu to hide the light blush warming her cheeks at the cute expression. "I will give this foot back iffff… you trade your other foot for its release. A fair exchange, right?" He nodded to himself at his generous offer.

She laughed at the demand. "A fair exchange for who exactly?"

"Me, obviously, I'm the important criminal boss and stuff." The hostess returned interrupting them with glasses of water and they sheepishly asked for more time to look over the menu. Once she left Sakura looked back at him slyly.

"I reluctantly agree to your cruel terms, now return my child to me."

"_Your child?" _He coughed in surprise at the joke, releasing one foot and waiting for her other. Sakura slowly slid her foot between his, raising it slightly to run her ankle against his leg before letting it drop between his feet. She grinned at his flustered expression before finally looking over the menu for an entree.

They discussed some items to share before the hostess returned again and jotted down the order. Sakura asked for a bottle of sake, sticking out her tongue to Naruto when he gave her a withering look. They both knew he couldn't hold his alcohol compared to her. The hostess left them alone once again and a comfortable silence settled over them.

Sakura played with the end of the paper wrapping on her chopsticks before ripping it open. "You would still order something noodle related even if we're not eating ramen." She laughed, bunching up the wrapper and tossing it at Naruto. It bounced against his forehead and onto the table. He laughed rubbing the spot it hit.

"What can I say? I'm a noodle boy at heart. Besides, you ordered sake knowing I'm a lightweight, Sakura-chan!"

"It's cute seeing you get that nice glow to your cheeks only after a few sips." Sakura teased innocently.

Naruto picked up the wrapper and flicked it back at Sakura. It got caught in her hair making him laugh. She ran a hand through her pink strands trying to get it but it stubbornly remained. "Did I get it?" She asked him. He chuckled and leaned forward slightly to brush his fingers through her hair to dislodge the paper. With his grinning face closer to her, Sakura turned her attention down to the table, her heart pounding in her chest.

"There, got it." Naruto leaned back, giving the paper a little wave in his hand.

"Thanks." Sakura muttered, patting her hair back in order.

They chatted about everything they could think of and Sakura began to feel that familiar ease that usually settled between her and Naruto. It had been missing recently due to him being away on his mission and even before that when she was busy at the hospital.

Their food soon arrived along with her sake and Sakura poured them both a drink before shooting back hers in one go. Naruto looked apprehensively at his own before taking a tiny sip and making a face. Sakura laughed and teased him about maybe ordering milk instead which he returned with a glare then shot back his own drink.

"Ugh, so gross." He stuck out his tongue as if it'd help rid the bitter taste of the sake faster.

"It's not so bad once you get used to it. Just don't let it linger on your tongue." Sakura advised before plucking a piece from the tempura roll between them.

"And how am I supposed to do that? My tongue is fifty percent of my mouth, Sakura-chan." Naruto said, unconvinced. He grabbed his own chopsticks and unwrapped them, placing them horizontally over his udon bowl. Picking up the sake bottle, he refilled both their cups.

The dinner continued in high spirits. Despite Naruto whining, they managed to down a bottle of sake before the meal had even finished, both of their cheeks glowing pink. The blonde was louder when drunk causing Sakura to quiet him through giggle fits whenever he got the attention of the hostess with his voice. They were both flushed and happy, and every once in a while he'd squeeze her ankle affectionately between his, and in turn she'd play with his hand linking their fingers repeatedly.

The conversation steered further and further away from an opportunity to bring up their conversation from the hospital and even though she was a little buzzed, Sakura didn't wanna spoil the night bringing up Hinata.

After finishing off their second bottle, Sakura began mulling over the desserts when she heard him sigh loudly, she glanced up at him with a grin.

"Not feeling mochi? I was thinking of some dango instead if you want to share." She watched him shift in front of her before dropping his chin on his hands. She placed the menu down and leaned forward with him, tapping his nose with her finger. "What's wrong? Feeling sick?"

Naruto shook his head. "Have you heard from Sasuke?" He asked softly.

"Oh." Sakura felt the alcoholic haze instantly clear upon hearing his question. So much for not spoiling the night. "No, I haven't heard from him."

"Liar." He quietly accused. "He asked me how you were, that you aren't responding to any of his letters." The tension that had been plaguing Sakura earlier returned tenfold. She immediately felt defensive at being called a liar but… she _was _lying. "He's gonna be home in a few days."

Sakura stared at him with a closed off expression, giving nothing away. She knew he was coming home, but hearing it from Naruto's mouth left a different type of cold dread in the pit of her stomach. There was a long pause before she finally spoke up. "You know, I'm not really feeling dessert after all. I'll pay so we can get going, it's already pretty late."

She ignored the myriad of emotions passing across his face when she slipped her foot from his. She pulled money from her pocket and placed it on the table. He watched her quietly, a pensive look on his face before sliding out of the booth and walking to the entrance of the restaurant. She rubbed her sweaty palms against her pants and followed him outside, praying for once the argument would not follow them.

Naruto was waiting outside for her, he turned his head slightly in acknowledgement but otherwise wouldn't look at her. "I'll walk you back."

She shook her head despite him being unable to see it. "No, it's fine."

"I'll walk you home." He stated again, more firm this time, and she sighed.

He started off in the direction of her apartment and she followed behind. She didn't want to know what face he was making this time. Sasuke always brought a sort of bitterness between them whenever broughten up. She had hoped it wouldn't come up tonight but Naruto had a habit of bringing up their 3rd teammate if he drank too much, so she should've expected something like this.

She watched his back as he slowed down before stopping altogether. He turned to look at her and the emotions in his eyes made her swallow hard.

"We have to talk about him at some point." He insisted, sounding tired.

"That doesn't have to be today." She grumbled.

"_Sakura-chan._"

"_What_? I was having a good time, so were you! It's like you can't have fun with me without feeling guilty that _he isn't here!_" She felt her chest heat with righteous indignation. This wasn't fair. " I don't want to have this argument again. Especially after you refused to answer any of the questions I asked at the hospital."

"Questions?" He exclaimed, growing more frustrated. She glanced around the street, noting how it wasn't exactly empty, before pulling him to a secluded alley off to the side. She didn't want to make a spectacle of herself in public, and this obviously couldn't wait till they reached her apartment.

"Hinata." She hissed, face growing hot with anger. "We weren't done talking! You were supposed to tell me why you picked her!" She was getting loud now, leaning forward and breathing hard. She pulled back quickly, clearing her throat. "For the mission."

Naruto scoffed. "_For the mission_? That's bullshit and you know it so why don't you just say what you actually mean Sakura. _I can't answer you if you can't even say it._"

"Say _what?"_

"Exactly! _What_?" He leaned forward, voice low and rigid with emotion. He took a step forward making her take one back. The chilling embrace from the wall met her shoulder blades. She placed her hands against the bricks to stop their shaking. Naruto loomed over her, his presence and accusations suffocating. "What is it that you _want_ from me?"

"I-I don't know what you mean." Her voice lowered to a whisper. She knew what he was asking. It was the same thing Ino had mentioned.

_He's loved you for forever Forehead and if you don't like him back, then let him find someone else._

If Naruto was looking for an admittance of feelings or her blessing to see someone else, she wasn't going to give it to him. The selfish part of her clawed it's way back to the surface. She wasn't ready to confront her confusion on Naruto and she wasn't ready to give him up either.

Sakura placed her hands on Naruto's chest. Her trembling fingers spread over the fabric of his obnoxiously orange sweater. A puff of hot air blew against the top of her head. "Forget it." She heard him say. He took a step back, her hands hovering slightly in the space between them before wrapping themselves around her middle. She screwed her eyes shut. This was not how this night was supposed to go.

The metallic sound of a zipper pulled her from her thoughts. "Here." Naruto said, placing his sweater over her shoulders. She blinked up at him confused.

"I… I don't need it." She protested, shrugging it off one shoulder. Naruto yanked it back up.

"Just take it. I'll see you later Sakura-chan." He mumbled before taking off to the roofs, leaving her alone.

Adrenaline still coursing through her veins, Sakura gripped the edges of his sweater in anger. She briskly walked out the alley and through the streets to her apartment, all the while cursing herself for being a coward. She arrived at her apartment, stomped up her steps to the 3rd floor and shoved her hand in her pocket. She placed her key into the lock and stopped. She stared down at her hand dwarfed in Naruto's sweater. Her vision blurred slightly. She sniffed.

_That fucking idiot._

Turning the key, and opening the door she stepped inside and beelined to her room.

With her bed in sight, Sakura sighed and plopped down on top of the folded comforter. Her body calmed down and finally felt the heaviness of the alcohol return to her limbs. The collar of Naruto's jacket covered her face, effectively wrapping her in his scent and lolling her to sleep.

0o0o0o

Sakura jolted awake at the sound of her doorbell being incessantly rung. Groaning as she rolled out of bed she stomped over to the front door, slamming it open. Ino stood on the other side looking pristine and surprised. The blonde looked her up up and down, pausing at the orange jumper, before leveling her with a scandalized frown.

"Did you just wake up?"

"Yes."

Ino glanced behind them at the sun as if to confirm the time before turning back around. "It's 1 in the afternoon."

"Okay and?" Sakura replied irritably, rubbing at her eyes, she noticed the smeared black on her hands as she pulled them away from her face. Oh yeah, she didn't wash her face.

Ino gave a tired sigh and rubbed at the bridge of her nose. "Is Naruto here?"

Sakura screwed her face up at his name. "_No."_

"Oh _Sakura_, come on, let's get you cleaned up and out of the house. Don't spend your day off cooped up at home." Ino breezed past her to the kitchen, Sakura finally noticing the bouquet of lilies and roses in her arm. Pulling a vase from under the sink, Ino begane situating the flowers on the kitchen table. "Go take a shower and get ready, we're gonna go out and have some fun_." _

Sakura realized it was useless to argue, let alone admit that she'd much rather stay curled up in Naruto's jacket, and quietly made her way into the bathroom. When Ino crowded her after she got out she didn't complain. When she ransacked her closet for a _nice_ outfit Sakura waited patiently. And when Ino dug out her stash of make-up from her dresser and demanded Sakura to sit up and not move, she complied without even a comment.

It wasn't until Sakura was pushed out of the house and dragged to a clothing store that she finally asked what they were doing.

"Hanging out, like _friends _do." Ino sighed for what felt like the fifth time. They walked to the women's section and began browsing. "God Sakura, you never get out anymore. If I didn't come around to take you out I bet you'd just sit around in your house, work, and argue with Naruto."

"_Hey._" Sakura exclaime, sounding offended. "I get out."

"Really?" Ino said skeptically.

Sakura racked her brain for something to tell her friend and grew embarrassed as she came up blank. She visited Sai sometimes, did that count? But those visits usually ended in her throttling him for something he said. Oh god, was she really becoming a shut in? Nodding hesitantly after a long pause, she promised herself to get out more ."I volunteer at the clinic sometimes."

Ino didn't seem impressed.

Sakura sifted through a rack of blouses, trying to busy herself. "It's unpaid so it's not considered work."

If it was possible, Ino looked even more disappointed/. She groaned dramatically. "I mean like something fun! Like going out to a bar, trying a new restaurant. But we can talk about that later, I want to know what happened last night."

Sakura turned away and looked over a pink blouse with faux interest. "We went to dinner." She said, attempting to say with an air of indifference.

Ino scoffed, clearly seeing through her. "Mhm, and when did you both end up in your bed?"

Sakura's brain short circuited. "HUH? My _BED_?"

"Yes, _your bed. _The ravaging. The angry make up sex. Whatever physical activity you wanna call it that had you looking properly wrecked this morning?"

Two eldely ladies passing by on the other side of the clothing rack gave a pause at Ino's increasingly explicit language before ushering down the aisle, stifling their giggles and thoroughly embarrassing Sakura.

"I did _not_ answer the door looking _wrecked_! I was _hungover!"_ Sakura hissed quietly, snapping her out of her previously gloomy mood.

"Is that the new excuse we're using now?" Ino drawled.

"We didn't have sex, we _argued_! We argued and he left me in an alley after with his jacket."

"Better than a bench and at least he left you his jacket."

There was a long pause where Sakura wondered if killing Ino right here was a bad idea.

"I'M KIDDING. At least he didn't abandon you there."

"Ino what part of left me in the alley did you not comprehend?"

"Okay but it's _Naruto_ and at least you know Naruto will _always_ come back."

Sakura mumbled how Ino was lucky she loved her, causing the blonde to laugh. They made their way into the next aisle with Ino still pestering for details.

"So was the arguing before or after dessert." She asked, inspecting a new shirt that caught her eye. "And by dessert I mean-"

"I know what you mean Ino and for the last time we did _not_ sleep together."

"Okay, okay, a girl can dream can't she? A world where you guys sleep together and you can finally stop complaining to me about how you don't like Naruto, but Naruto isn't paying enough attention to you."

"I'm going to leave."

Ino tossed a shirt to Sakura who caught it, instantly recognizing it as something she'd pick out for herself. She looked at Ino's grin with a weak glare. "Bitch."

"Love you too." The blonde winked. "Okay but seriously, what did you and Naruto argue about?"

Sakura began to recount the night in detail, Ino nodding thoughtfully along as she listened. Reliving the argument through her own mouth put some things into perspective for Sakura. The overwhelming reluctance of admitting _why_ she was so bothered by Hinata in the first place. Realizing that it _was_ jealousy she was feeling and once she recognized that, there was no going back.

Sakura had feelings for Naruto.

"There's a lot of points to hit here." Ino pointed out, momentarily pausing the trainwreck that was Sakura's current thought process.

"You're telling me." She mumbled, feeling the gloom that had been plaguing her since last night slowly return.

"The last time we talked you said you didn't have feelings for Naruto, but now you're saying you felt some type of way when he didn't give you a straightforward answer about why he took her instead of you." Ino recounted to which Sakura nodded. "But when Naruto brings up Sasuke, you don't give an answer either."

"It's different."

"_How_?"

"Things with Sasuke…" Sakura paused. Gathering the words to properly explain the baggage that came with loving Sasuke never came easy, but explaining the discontent that came with her _current_ feelings on him was even harder. Ino had been with her for basically every step of the heartbreak concerning the Uchiha, but Sakura began choosing her words carefully, or sometimes no words at all, when her friend would inquire about her current feelings regarding him. It was easier moving forward not dealing with Sasuke then actually confronting him. "They're… complicated, I mean, you already know how it's been." Sakura ran a hand over the soft fabric of a new shirt, looking but not seeing, too absorbed in trying to hold back any resurfacing feelings. Good or bad.

"Yes, I know, but _why_ are they complicated, Sakura? You always skirt around the answer like it's the plague." Ino pressed, and Sakura cringed slightly. "You don't talk about this to anyone else and it's not healthy to hold everything in. It gives you worry lines."

A huff of laughter escaped her lips and she gave a wry smile. "And we can't have that, can we?"

"No siree." Ino nodded, "C'mon." They reached the end of the rack and Ino linked her arm through Sakura's, tugging her to the back of the store to the changing rooms. "Now you can spill your guts forehead, and it'll be like I'm not even there. The illusion of privacy." She laughed before stepping into the stall and locking the door.

Sakura sat on one of the cushioned chairs placed adjacent and sighed, already feeling the jitters of anxiety prick at her. "Like I said, things are complicated, or were complicated. When Sasuke finally came back I… I thought I'd finally be _happy._ I always felt like I was missing something, and I always thought it was Sasuke, but when he returned and it didn't fit the missing piece, I was… confused." She frowned. There was so much between them, the attempts on each other's lives stood out stark amongst the memories, never spoken of, never apologized for, but always there. Recalling the brief period after the war, interactions between them were awkward and tense, and she struggled occasionally at making eye contact. The soft expressions he wore then were such a stark contrast to the one full of hate the day he tried ramming a Chidori through her. The way his shoulders tense or jaw clenched when his back was to her let her know he didn't forget either.

"After loving someone for _so long_ you'd think having him back would make me feel even stronger for him right? But I just felt kind of numb. I mean don't get me wrong—I'm super happy he's back and he's well, but I think after everything that's ever happened between us, I'm finally coming to the conclusion that I was in love with an idea. A Sasuke that didn't exist anymore. For a brief time, I saw in him happiness and love, and then the chunnin exams happened, and Orochimaru, and him defecting, not returning after defeating Itachi, the list goes on, you already know, but I kept nurturing that one moment. I held on to see his happiness again and to one day make it my own. I convinced myself that my happiness rode on Sasuke returning but now that it happened…**.** I can forgive him, but I don't think I can forget." Sakura let out a humorless laugh. "It all sounds very selfish of me, doesn't it? Sasuke doesn't make me happy because I'm coming to terms with the fact that _I don't love him anymore_, but so much of me loved him that I don't know how to be me without him."

Confessing it aloud after denying it for so long brought tears to her eyes. She sniffed and wiped them quickly as the sound of the dressing room door's lock clicked. Ino stood with a hand on the knob still, and the soft understanding look on her face only made Saskura's eyes water more.

"Confusing, right? Being scared of not loving someone anymore?" She sniffed again, attempting a watery smile. "That outfit looks cute on you by the way."

Ino clicked her tongue and stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Sakura's shoulders and combing her fingers through short pink hair in a soothing manner. "It _is_ confusing." Ino quietly agreed. Sakura wrapped her own arms around the blonde's middle, returning the embrace.

"I feel like a failure. I loved him for forever and now that's all gone." Slowly pulling away, Sakura wiped her tears again. Ino shimmied next to her on the chair, wiping a stray tear before resting a hand on her arm in a comforting gesture. "I'm so scared of everything changing, Ino. I know—_I know_ there's something between me and Naruto, but I'm so scared of finally letting everything with Sasuke _go_ and starting something with Naruto officially and not being able to do it."

"Why don't you think you can do it?"

"I don't think i know how to love right." Sakura gave a half-hearted shrug. "Everything I had been involved in up until this point has been so one sided and toxic, it's all I know, so what if I mess up? What if I mess _him_ up? I'm scared of heartbreak but I'm more scared of breaking Naruto's heart." Recalling the time in the Land of Iron, her confession, his response. What if she already started?

"Sakura." Ino placed her hands on her cheeks, snapping her out of the hole she just about to dig herself in and effectively locking her in place. "I understand where these fears are coming from and I understand why you're hesitating, but I need _you_ to understand that the only one holding yourself back is _you_."

"Uh-"

"Fears!" Ino exclaimed loudly, startling any coherent thought forming and jostling her head slightly. "This! _THIS _is _normal. _Anyone has these fears when they're looking for a new relationship, _especially_ when it comes to someone you have been friends with, trust me, I've sat through enough conversations with Shika about Temari to know." She snorted a laugh before continuing. "The thing is, you can't let them dictate what you do next because you're afraid of something that hasn't happened yet."

Sakura stared wide-eyed at her. It was simple advice, but it had never crossed her mind before. Any attempt at sorting through the thick muck that was her feelings left her exhausted and confused, but Ino's simple answer to it was like a wave washing away all her worries, leaving her feeling weightless. It was _such_ a simple answer that it made her laugh.

"Oh wow." She wiped tears from her eyes but for a different reason now. Ino smiled at her response after a moment.

"Things aren't as scary as we make them out to be. Realizing you don't love Sasuke is okay. Being upset with him for things you haven't hashed out yet is okay." She placed her hands back into her lap, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "I get now why you haven't opened his letters. It's almost like he's acting like nothing happened between you two."

Sakura nodded minutely. "Kind of."

"Anyways. The point I want to get across the most, is that it's _okay_ to have feelings for Naruto."

They both looked up as a clerk made their way towards the changing rooms. Sakura felt a little embarrassed as the worker asked if they needed any assistance, most likely having seen the crying and hugging, but Ino smiled politely and declined, informing them she was just about to go upfront and pay. Slipping a hand into the blonde's that wasn't holding the clothing, they weaved through the racks to the front register, and as the items were scanned, Sakura let her mind wander.

Was it really that easy? Would everything be alright if she finally gave in and pursued Naruto? She thought of their fight last night and felt horrible at the way she dodged everyone one of his questions about Sasuke. No wonder he was so hesitant to ever step further, no matter how much she possibly flirted or invited it. And she acted as if her question about Hinata was more important than the age old question of her and Sasuke.

Once leaving the store, they decided on having a late lunch at some local cafe before parting ways. Despite feeling lighter than she had in months after her confession, Sakura still had a lot to think about and to consider, and she wanted to do it alone which Ino understood.

Sakura was humming as she unlocked her door, she tossed her bags on the couch and made her way to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. She paused at a piece of paper sitting on her counter top, she plucked it up and flipped it open.

'_Sorry for always eating your food, but you know I'd never leave you with nothing!_ _:D_"

The sloppy smiley face stared up at her and Sakura caught herself smiling back as she read the note in his voice. Rereading it once more before folding it into a neat square and slipping it into her pocket, she opened the fridge and gaped at all the groceries he'd left. It was clearly more than what he came and ate, and it hit her that he was also _apologizing_.

Imagining him meticulously placing all the items in the correct spots rather than just throwing the bag into the fridge made her laugh.

He always took care of her, no matter what.

The thought made her pause before slowly closing the fridge. Her biggest worry remained that she'd hurt Naruto somehow, and not answering him when asked about Sasuke was inadvertently hurting him. If ignoring Sasuke made her ignore her feelings for Naruto, then she knew what she needed to do. Taking a deep breath, she quickly went to her room, opened the drawer, sat on her bed with the scrolls in hand, and opened the first one.


End file.
